Small Blog Meet

I was just visiting Lilysquilts and she has a wonderful idea to help newer bloggers like myself, link up with others.  My post is supposed to say a little bit about myself and my quilting.

I started quilting about 28 years ago and still love it.  I love traditional piecing as well as new and funky piecing.  I try to find the easiest way to make a block.  Life is to short to do things the hard way.  I have taught quilting classes at the local quilt shop for the past twelve years and have long arm quilted the last eleven years.  Now if you are keeping track of the numbers, you have figured out that I'm a little older than most bloggers.  But what is age, just a number and no, I'm not giving up the number.

I hope you take a minute to scroll through some of my posts and return again.  Thanks.

I love to feather!

I love to quilt feathers.  I think every quilter finds a quilting pattern they just have to use whenever possible.  For me that pattern is feathers.

Today I finished quilting a quilt based on a pattern from Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting, January/February 2011 magazine.  The original quilt is called China Girl.  The quilt had a lot of different shaped background areas that I just had to fill with feathers.

A medallion feather for this spot.

A funky feather in a straight line for this area.

And a feather in this box that looks an awful lot like a flower.

Of course I did add a continuous feather on the border.  I will show you the finished quilt when I get the binding on it.

For those of you who are quilting feathers, remember, they are just half a heart.

Valemount Quilt

If you are driving through Valemount, you must stop in at the info centre to check out this wonderful quilt.  It was made by the local guild and depicts scenes from around the area.

The centre block is the view of Canoe Mountain.

From the info centre head across the highway and a couple of blocks down 5th Ave. to the Bear Paw Den.

Even though the store is small, it contains all sorts of treasures.  Even the men will find something interesting to look at.  If not in the quilt store, then at the sporting goods store next door.

Canadian Death Race

As part of our recent holiday Doug and I went to Grand Cache Alberta for the Canadian Death Race.  The race is 125 km. long running through the mountains of the area.  For those of you that think that this sounds easy, click here to check out the elevation change.  The winner of the race solo completed in a little over 12 hours.  Totally insane!
The reason I was there was to see my son Harvey compete on the PPCLI relay team. Harvey ran the last leg of the race so I was able to see him come across the finish line.

Running the majority of his leg in the dark and rain, Harvey completed his leg in 2:13.  Way to go Harvey!

This was the time on the clock as Harvey finished.  3 minutes is taken of for the official finish, to make up for the time spent in a boat on the river crossing.

This is the team at the finish line.  James Hewitt (squatting), Harvey, Brian Crowhurst, Josh Bowen and Sean Cochrane.

These two pictures were taken when Doug and I were out bike riding along the edge of town.  What a beautiful part of Canada.

On Monday at the awards breakfast, the team was called to the stage to receive an award in memory of Richard Kurnow.  Richard was their team mate who was tragically lost during a training run in Edmonton.  The team was running in his memory.

By Monday Harvey was looking well again, even though he admitted to being a little stiff.  Love you Harvey.

Classes for Fall 2011

The push has been on the last couple of weeks to get my samples ready for the fall classes at Katja's.  My first quilt is "A Quilter's Village."  I had so much fun making this quilt that I may just have to make another.

The blocks for this quilt are made with free form piecing.  Nothing really matters until the end when the block is squared up.  Your blocks can be as individual as you are.  Pick out a few of your favourite bright fabrics and give it a whirl!

This block featuring a lab puppy in it's dog house, is in memory of my "Angel."  I still miss her every day.

This is my second new class.  It is called "black and white and red all over."  A friend wanted to make this quilt from a pattern in a book.  It called for a very large connector at a thirty degree angle.  She phoned me and asked me to try to figure out a way to make it with one of my rulers.  I pulled out my tri-recs ruler and this is the result.  A simple strip pieced quilt that can be made in fabric of your choice.  With Christmas just around the corner, you can dig into your Christmas fabrics and make a special present for someone you love.

As well this session I will be offering my Beginner Quilting class and my Free Motion Quilting class.  The date for Free Motion Quilting is November 26, so if you want to be sure and get a spot, phone the Shoppe soon.  Katja will have her fall newsletter out mid August so check here and click on the newsletter link.

WhoTook My Chocolate!!

This quilt really says it all.  "Who took my Chocolate!!"  Often I need a little fix of chocolate to get me through the day and if I don't get it, look out.

The pattern for this wonderful little hanging is by Rabbit's Haven.  Arlene is a B.C. designer who now has a couple of lines of fabric through Red Rooster.  She is often accompanied to trade shows with her sisters who all pitch in to help with the booth. It's great to see a Canadian quilter have so much success.

My version of this quilt was embroidered by my mom Olive.  I used wax crayons to add a little colour, and then hand quilted it.  Another of my little treasures.

Drunkard's path beauty

Today I want to share with you a lovely drunkards path quilt.  The quilt belongs to Geraldine, who says she is almost 88.  The blocks were made by appliqueing a circle on a square, then cutting the square in quarters.

I first met Geraldine years ago when she was operating a pre-school out of her home.  Harvey attended for a few months and has so much fun!  The first time I saw one of Geraldine's quilts was at local quilt show quite a few years ago.  It was a show stopper.  I was so intimidated the first time I was asked to quilt one of Geraldine's quilts. Now I look forward to what she will bring me next.